Weapon sighted camera system

ABSTRACT

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described which provide weapon sighted cameras. A camera can be mounted on a weapon and, after a set-up procedure, can acquire a target without using a weapon sight of the weapon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/846,835, filed Apr. 13, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 16/131,690, filed Sep. 14, 2018, which claimsbenefit from and priority to U.S. Application No. 62/559,429, filed Sep.15, 2017. The above-identified applications are hereby incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Conventional weapon sights require the operator to peer through thesights on the weapon to aim the weapon at a target. However, the act ofpeering through the sights and aiming the weapon can expose theoperator. For example, a hunter hiding behind a tree might need to comeout of hiding in order to aim the weapon at a deer, thereby alerting thedeer to the presence of the hunter and causing the deer to flee.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditionalapproaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, throughcomparison of such systems with the present disclosure as set forth inthe remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Systems, apparatuses, and methods provide weapon sighted camerassubstantially as illustrated by and/or described in connection with atleast one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

Various advantages, aspects and novel features of the presentdisclosure, as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof,will be more fully understood from the following description anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows an embodiment of a camera mounted on a weapon according tothe present disclosure.

FIG. 1B shows a magnified view of the camera mounted on the weapon shownin FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of a weapon sight view according to thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 2B shows an embodiment of a camera view before adjustmentsaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 2C shows an embodiment of the camera view after adjustmentsaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A shows an embodiment of a camera view before adjusting thedigital reticle according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B shows an embodiment of the camera view after adjusting thedigital reticle according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a camera system that employs a heads-updisplay on glasses according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows a user using the camera view to aim and fire at a targetfrom behind a wall or from within a hideout according to an embodimentof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As utilized herein, “and/or” means any one or more of the items in thelist joined by “and/or”. As an example, “x and/or y” means any elementof the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. As another example, “x, y,and/or z” means any element of the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x,y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. As utilized herein, the term “exemplary”means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. Asutilized herein, the terms “e.g.” and “for example” set off lists of oneor more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations.

The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate allembodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition or instead.Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save spaceor for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practicedwith additional components or steps and/or without all of the componentsor steps that are illustrated.

Some embodiments according to the present disclosure relate to systems,apparatuses, and methods that provide weapon sighted cameras.

Some embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a cameraimage transmission system that works in conjunction with a display(e.g., a helmet display, a heads-up display, a heads-up display ongoggles or glasses, a wearable display, a watch display, a handhelddisplay, etc.).

Some embodiments according to the present disclosure provide a cameraimage transmission system that is operated in conjunction with a weapon(e.g., a rifle, a gun, a bow, etc.). In such instances, the weapon canbe aimed without the operator looking directly through the sights of theweapon.

FIGS. 1A-B show an embodiment of a camera 110 mounted on a weapon 120according to the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1A, the weapon120 is shown as a rifle that has a front sight post 130 and a rear sightpost 140. The camera 110 has two types of adjustments. Referring to FIG.1B, which is an inset of FIG. 1A, the camera 110 includes a manualwindage adjustment that is facilitated by a turret 150 or a screw on aside of the camera 110. The turret 150 is configured such that whenturned clockwise or counter-clockwise, the camera 110 can be adjustedhorizontally (e.g., side to side, right to left, left to right, etc.).The camera 110 also includes a manual elevation adjustment that isfacilitated by a turret 160 or a screw on a bottom of the camera 110.The turret 160 is configured such that when turned clockwise orcounter-clockwise, the camera 110 can be adjusted vertically (e.g.,upwards, downwards, etc.).

In operation according to some embodiments, the camera 110 is manuallysighted into the weapon. The camera 110 can have a display to displaythe camera view. In some embodiments, the display can be separate fromthe camera 110. For example, the camera 110 can provide, via wiredand/or wireless link, the camera view to a display on a handheld device(e.g., a smartphone, an computing tablet, etc.) or on a wearable device(e.g., glasses or helmets with heads-up displays). Accordingly, theweapon 120 can be aimed at a particular target (e.g., a particular aimpoint of the weapon) by using the camera view shown on the display(e.g., a heads-up display) instead of using the weapon sights 130, 140.Thus, the user of the weapon 120 can acquire a target without evenshouldering the weapon 120. The camera view shown on the displayeffectively becomes the weapon sights when being pointed around corners,for example.

FIGS. 2A-C and 3A-B show exemplary embodiments for setting up the camera110 in conjunction with the weapon 120. In some embodiments, after theweapon 120 has been zeroed, the camera 110 can be set up. To set up theweapon 120 and the camera 110, the weapon 120 is placed on a steadyplatform or held in place (e.g., by a vice) so that the sights can beheld on a target. Referring to FIG. 2A, the weapon sight view is shownincluding the rear sight posts 140 and the front sight post 130. Asillustrated, the weapon has an aim point at the base of a tree, forexample.

Some embodiments provide a handheld or wearable device that includes oneor more processors and one or more memories (e.g., one or morenon-transitory computer readable media). The handheld or wearable devicecan also include a display (e.g., a heads-up display on glasses, ahelmet, a cap, goggles, etc.) that is operatively coupled to the one ormore processors. The one or more processors can run an application(e.g., code, instructions, etc.) that communicates with the camera 120to provide the camera view on the display. The communications can be viaa wired link (e.g., a cable, a wire, etc.) and/or a wireless link (e.g.,cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, wireless local area network, personal areanetwork, WiMax, satellite, infrared, radio, etc.). The device and thecamera 110 can include, for example, processors, transceivers, and/orantennas to effect such communications. For example, the camera 110 caninclude, for example, an image transmission system for transmittingimages (e.g., frames, video, etc.) to the handheld or wearable device.Although some embodiments provide that the display is separate from thecamera 110, some embodiments provide that the display is part of thecamera 110 (e.g., the display can be on rear or other surface of thecamera 110), or provide that there are multiple displays that can beused such as one on the camera 110 and one on the handheld or wearabledevice, for example.

Referring to FIGS. 2B-C, the application in the handheld or wearabledevice and/or the camera 110 is opened or initiated so thatcommunications is established between the handheld or wearable deviceand the camera 110. The camera 110 transmits its camera view to thehandheld or wearable device which, in turn, displays the camera view onits display as shown in FIG. 2B. Referring to FIG. 2B, because thecamera 110 has not been properly aligned, the camera view is differentthan the weapon sight view. As illustrated, only a bottom portion of thetree is shown at the top of the camera view, for example. Someembodiments provide that the camera 110 does not actually look down thesights 130, 140 of the weapon as is the case in FIGS. 2B-C since theweapon sights 130, 140 are not in the camera view. However, someembodiments do contemplate that the camera 110 does look down the weaponsights 130, 140.

Referring to FIG. 2C, the camera view can be adjusted by adjusting theposition of the camera 110 relative to the weapon 120. In someembodiments, by turning the turrets 150, 160, the user can manually makewindage and elevation adjustments until the camera view is the same orsimilar to the view through the weapon sights.

Referring to FIGS. 3A-B, some embodiments provide that, once the manualwindage and elevation adjustment to the camera 110 have been completed,the digital reticle (e.g., digital cross hairs) on the camera view canbe adjusted. Via a user interface (e.g., buttons, dials, graphical userinterface, graphical elements, etc.) on the camera 110 or the handheldor wearable device, the digital reticle can be caused to appear on thedisplay and adjusted (e.g., digitally moved on the display) to thecenter of the camera view on the display or to a particular point (e.g.,the aim point of the weapon 120) on the camera view of the display. Someembodiments provide that the crosshairs on the camera can be adjustedusing the application to mirror the aim point of the weapon 120. Nowthat the camera is properly aligned, the weapon 120 can be removed fromthe steady platform and used in the field (e.g., outdoors, target range,etc.) using the camera view instead of the weapon sights.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the handheld or wearable device in theform of glasses 170 that provide a heads-up display 180. Someembodiments provide that some of the components and/or circuitry thatreceive the camera view from the camera 110, process the received datafrom the camera 110 for display, and/or provide other capabilities orfunctions may be located separately from the glasses 170 and may beoperatively coupled to the glasses 170 via a wired and/or wireless link.Some embodiments provide that the glasses 170 includes all thesubsystems to provide the heads-up display and/or other capabilities orfunctions.

Referring to FIG. 4 , some embodiments provide that the camera 110 sendsdata (e.g., information) to the glasses 170 which provides the cameraview on a heads-up display 180. Some embodiments provide that the camera110 sends the camera view to the glasses 170 via a Bluetooth or WiFiconnection. In an exemplary embodiment, the heads-up display appears oris part of one of the lenses of the glasses 170. Thus, in operation, theuser can aim the weapon 120 using the reticle 190 on the heads-updisplay 180 instead of looking through the weapon sights 130, 140.

FIG. 5 shows a user aiming and firing a weapon from behind an object(e.g., a wall, a cover, etc.) or from a hideout without substantiallyexposing himself.

Some embodiments provide that the heads-up display 180 can also providedisplay on top of or in addition to the camera view. Thus, for example,sensors that are part of or operatively coupled to the camera 110 and/orthe handheld or wearable device (e.g., glasses 170) can be used togather data that can be displayed on the heads-up display. In oneembodiment, temperature and wind data can be sensed and displayed on theheads-up display. In another embodiment, the heads-up display 180 canshow the camera view and display messages received from others in thefield. The messages can be displayed over the camera view or can beseparate from the camera view.

Some embodiments provide a rangefinder that is part of or operativelycoupled to the camera 110 and/or the handheld or wearable device (e.g.,glasses 170). The rangefinder can send range data (e.g., live-streamrange data) to the heads-up display 180.

Some embodiments provide that the camera 110 can be equipped withinfrared sensing or can provide an infrared light to be used at night,for example. In some embodiments, a thermal imaging system can be partof or operatively coupled to the camera 110. The infrared and/or thermalimaging camera view can then be shown on the heads-up display.

Some embodiments provide that the camera system can be employed to workwith a handheld weapon such as a rifle, a gun, a bow, etc. However, someembodiments provide that the camera system can be employed in weapons orweapon systems that are not handheld. For example, the weapon can bemounted on a stand on the ground or on a stationary platform, andcontrolled remotely by the user. Some embodiments contemplate that theweapons can be triggered remotely. Some weapon systems contemplateweapons that are part of or mounted on vehicles (e.g., land vehicles,aircraft, amphibious vehicles, boats, etc.).

While the present disclosure has been described with reference tocertain embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes may be made and equivalents may be substitutedwithout departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition,many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation ormaterial to the teachings of the present disclosure without departingfrom its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosurenot be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that thepresent disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scopeof the appended claims.

1. A camera system for use with a weapon, comprising: a display; and a camera operatively coupled to the display, wherein, during a set-up procedure, a camera view shown on the display is used to acquire a same aim point as the weapon, and wherein, after the set-up procedure, the camera view does not use a weapon sight of the weapon when acquiring a target.
 2. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the camera is mounted on the weapon.
 3. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the camera has a windage adjustment and an elevation adjustment.
 4. The camera system according to claim 3, wherein, during the set-up procedure, the camera is manually adjusted using the windage adjustment and the elevation adjustment so that the camera view is same or substantially the same as a weapon view through the weapon sight.
 5. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the display is part of a handheld or wearable system that is configured to receive data relating to a camera view from the camera.
 6. The camera system according to claim 5, wherein the handheld or wearable system includes glasses.
 7. The camera system according to claim 6, wherein the glasses includes a heads-up display for displaying the camera view.
 8. The camera system according to claim 7, wherein the camera view is displayed on one lens of the glasses.
 9. The camera system according to claim 7, wherein the glasses also receive data that can be overlaid or displayed over the camera view.
 10. The camera system according to claim 5, wherein the handheld or wearable system includes one or more processors that run an application.
 11. The camera system according to claim 10, wherein the application is used to set up the aim of the camera.
 12. The camera system according to claim 10, wherein the application provides a digital reticle that is overlaid or displayed over the camera view.
 13. The camera system according to claim 10, wherein the application provides graphical elements that cause the digital reticle to move over the camera view so that the digital reticle is aligned with the weapon aim point
 14. The camera system according to claim 5, wherein the handheld or wearable system and the camera communicate wirelessly.
 15. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the display is part of the camera.
 16. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the weapon is a handheld weapon.
 17. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the weapon is not a handheld weapon.
 18. The camera system according to claim 1, wherein the weapon is mounted on a vehicle or a stationary platform. 